IN PRAISE OF FOOD
MANCHESTER SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE MA ARCHITECTURE & URBANISM THESIS
This document was printed on 110 gsm recycled paper.
© 2018 Muhammad Haziq bin Ariffin ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Acknowledgements I am grateful to all those with whom I have had the utmost pleasure to work with, learn from and be friends with during the tenure of this course.
Thank you to Eamonn Canniffe for sharing his knowledge and wisdom, always delivered with patience, positivity and good humor. Thank you to David Chandler, Claudio Molina Camacho, James Dyson and Julie Fitzpatrick for sharing their unique experiences and sentiments, without which this work would not have been possible. Thank you to the guest critics for their valuable suggestions and feedback during reviews.
Thank you to my coursemates for sharing a culturally diverse learning environment.
Thank you Mak and Ayah, for your lifelong love and support.
And finally, thank you to the dedicated, courageous and humble farmers who inspired me to always endure hardship, to never stop learning, and to live in gratitude.
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Contents Preface A Manifesto Chapter 1
Chapter 4
The Little Red Dot
Dakota Crescent
a look at Singapore, its urban development and current issues
an analysis of the chosen site
page 11
page 51
Chapter 2
Chapter 5
Food
Design Development
understanding Singapore through its agriculture
ideas, explorations and reasoning
Chapter 3
Chapter 6
page 33
page 71
Housing
The Proposal
Singapore’s history and policies on public housing
a journey through food
page 43
page 105
A Reflection Bibliography
4 5
IN PRAISE OF FOOD
Global Urban Food Situation The multifunctional character of food makes it a unique point of discussion. It is heavily implicated in socio-political, economic and environmental issues. This makes it a pertinent area to explore and discuss as the world’s population continues to grow at an exponential rate simultaneously with a global instinct to urbanize. Yet, most of the food grown to feed urban dwellers continue to be imported from the hinterland and across nations. It is apparent and increasingly understood that the economic system we currently subscribe to is incompatible with our visions of a sustainable life on a planet of limited natural resources. This is both daunting and exciting as it requires us to adapt, innovate and evolve.
The Case of Urban Agriculture In recent years, there has been a resurgence of urban agriculture in many modern cities. Perhaps, this momentum was driven by fundamental needs, or as an effort to mitigate environmental issues, or to balance the diminishing number of rural farm workers, or perhaps the development of technology has allowed it to be a viable commercial endeavour. My own interest in the intersectional relationship between food, architecture and urbanism began after being involved in social work in rural Malaysia. Developing a close relationship with farmers gave me a close understanding of the food system. I personally witnessed the practice of growing food and was inspired by the resiliency of the farmers, and the extent of issues which could be addressed, if not solved, through agriculture. This was the inspiration behind the title of the thesis: In Praise of Food. A conscious choice was made to further develop this understanding in the context of cities due to the ever resonant statistic that may define the millennia: 70% of the world will be urban by 2050.
Singapore
Preface
Although Singapore is the smallest country in Southeast Asia, it is significantly the most developed. In many respects, Singapore represents an urban laboratory in which several of the panaceas of contemporary town planning theory have been tested and successfully implemented. The thesis seeks to hypothesise further experimentation on this urban laboratory which seems an ideal environment for urban agriculture to thrive.
“Many Singaporeans asked, and in fact, Members (of Parliament) asked, whether local farming has a future in Singapore. This is a fundamental question. And the answer is an unequivocal ‘YES!’ Farming will be a part of Singapore’s future. But it will have to be a differentlooking farming sector from what it is today...”
Given crucial national needs to develop industries and housing post independence, the government consolidated agricultural land. Today, Singapore imports about 90% of its food and thus is exposed to global food supply volatility and price changes, as well as fragility if political ties turn sour. Therefore, an integrated long-term vision to enhance the local growing of food to supplement food imports is needed and presents opportunities for Singapore to emerge as a front runner in sustainable urban food solutions. However, although history shows that Singapore has achieved its grand success through implementing and executing visions on a monumental scale, this thesis presents an argument that urban agriculture might perhaps be most successful if grown bottom-up in a slow and sustainable but highly efficient manner. It looks at Singapore as a local city as opposed to how it is conventionally framed as a global city. It explores a scheme implemented through Singapore’s public housing system in particular, as the system has been crucial in the formation of the city’s urban fabric. The thesis demonstrates the idea at a particular site in Kallang, the South of the city. However, it is to be taken broadly as a system to be implemented on a city-wide scale. It is an exploration of developing a city through an alternative approach in an attempt to demonstrate that freedom and multiplicity of choice is a fundamental right to be maintained in modern cities.
Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State for National Development
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IN PRAISE OF FOOD
Warga
A Manifesto
Community
In Praise of Food
» Mixed-use, mixed-occupancy residential development » Ample communal space for formal and informal socials » Different activities for different age groups » Farming & eating as a bridge between the different generations
A historical study of urban agriculture shows that although it can relieve and supplement the economic needs of the burdened, it has also shown to be a highly effective method for psychological rehabilitation and enabling social cohesion between the different layers of society. Current endeavours indicate a willingness to explore high technology approaches to achieving maximum yield, minimizing input costs and resources as well as pushing the boundaries of what constitutes food (alternative plant-based meats, insects etc). This, along with the acceptance of alternative modes of working and living into the mainstream culture enables an experimental ecosystem of an urban agrarian community. The manifesto is categorised into three parts: Warga (community), Alam (environment) and Budaya (culture). It seeks to establish an overall framework for which urban agriculture can thrive.
Alam
Environment » Soil-based horizontal farming to improve biodiversity » Controlled environment agriculture for commercial viability and research/innovation » Herb and orchard permaculture garden for health, wellbeing and education » Poultry and fish farming for a circular ecosystem » Implement natural cycles of water and waste
A multi-generational and diverse social mix in the community is essential in order to make sure that they enable, empower and support one another in the growing of food. Different people will have different priorities and objectives in the growing of food and maintaining the garden. This will be further supported by ensuring a varied programme, ample communal space and a focus to ensuring that farming and eating can be a social bridge. This is also addressed in maintaining the culture of the place.
Budaya Culture
» Identify and acknowledge the unique identity of the place » Maintain and enhance the function and quality of structure and space » Enable informal spaces for cultural and knowledge exchange
In addressing the environment, it is important to understand the different modes of farming and the benefits they bring to the community. 8 9
chapter 1
The Little Red Dot a look at Singapore, its urban development and current issues
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The Little Red Dot
IN PRAISE OF FOOD
Singapore At a Glance
Singapore has made a name for itself on the global stage since its independence from Malaysia in 1965. Despite its tiny size of just about 720 km2, which is about the size of Brussels or Dubai or half the size of Kuala Lumpur or Milan, it has grown to be a prosperous and wealthy city state. Singaporeans are multi-racial people, with Chinese accounting for more than 75%, while much of the remainder are made up of Malays and Indians. Its population has continued to grow since its first influx of immigration, soon after being formally founded by Stamford Raffles in 1819 when the population was around 1,000. Immigration dropped dramatically after their independence due to tighter control. Since then, its population has grown at a steady rate of 1 million every decade. Along with this, they have done extensive reclamation work to increase land size. It has grown in land size by almost a quarter since independence. Public Relations Office, 1950s
Marina Bay Sands, 2018
“It is pure intention: if there is chaos, it is authored chaos; if it is ugly, it is designed ugliness; if it is absurd, it is willed absurdity. Singapore represents a unique ecology of the contemporary.� Koolhaas, Singapore Songlines, 2010
It is a thriving global financial hub and has been ranked to have the most open economy in the world and has the third highest GDP per-capita in the world. Although Singapore is considered to be fully urbanized, it has retained almost half of the island as green surface. To do so, it builds densely and vertically. Most of its people live in public-housing tower blocks which are organised in communities spread around the island.
13% of Singapore’s Land Area 92 km2
Land Size
Total Building Footprint
22.7% of Singapore’s Land Area 161 km2
Population & Land Size Growth
Total Built-Up Space
Total: US$349.7 billion (2018 est.)
46.3% of Singapore’s Land Area 328.7 km2
Per Capita: US$61,766 (2018 est.)
highly-developed free market economy
GDP
Total Green Surface Area 12 13
The Little Red Dot
IN PRAISE OF FOOD
Historical significance of Singapore
Singapore
A Brief History of the Nation The origin story of Singapore pre-determined its current dependence on the import economy for its food. Being on a strategic spot on the global sea trade route gave it more incentive to trade rather than grow its own food. In the early 19th century, it was colonised by the British as a port of call in the region to base its merchant fleet, trading opium from India for tea in China which was brought home to England. It formed an ideal location. Today, Singapore still proves to be a major logistics hub of the world. It is also part of China’s Maritime Silk Road under its One Belt, One Road initiative. Trade route pre the opening of the Suez canal - 1869
British Colonies
Singapore
East India Company
Opium from N.India
Tea in China
The diagrams below show the morphological development of Singapore, starting from its Southern tip, where Stamford Raffles established the first town in 1822. The green portions highlight land which has been reclaimed over the years.
Return to England
1850
1916
1931
1942
1951
1973
1994
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IN PRAISE OF FOOD
The Little Red Dot
Singapore
The Jackson Plan & Kang Chu In 1822, Raffles implemented the Raffles Town Plan, also known as the Jackson Plan, to address the issue of growing disorderliness in the colony. Ethnic residential areas were segregated into four areas. The European Town had residents made up of European traders, Eurasians and rich Asians, while the ethnic Chinese were located in present-day Chinatown and south-east of the Singapore River. Ethnic Indians resided at Chulia Kampong north of Chinatown, and Kampong Glam consisted of Muslims, ethnic Malays and Arabs who had migrated to Singapore. This laid the foundation for the urbanisation of Singapore. Following this, in the late 19th century, as the city became overpopulated
Kang Chu system
“You may take my word for it, this is by far the most important station in the East, of much higher value than whole continents of territory; It would be difficult to name a place on the face of the globe with brighter prospects.” – Sir Thomas Raffles, letter to British East India Company, June 15th, 1819
and unpleasant, Chinese settlers, who were mainly involved in agriculture of gambier and pepper, began to organise themselves into informal associations and settled along river banks. They elected a leader amongst themselves and the leaders were known as Kangchu, which translates literally to “master of the riverbank”. These names still survive in areas of modern day Singapore. It denotes a close association between the growth of the city and its agricultural legacy.
Road leading to Malay Straits
Road leading across the island
Singapore Hill
Hospital
Fishing village Church Magasine
Open square
Pier/Jetty
Rocher Square Reservoir
Raffles Town Place / Jackson Plan, 1822 16 17
Dobies village
IN PRAISE OF FOOD
The Little Red Dot
Singapore Concept Plans
The Straits Times, 9 April 1970
Following their independence, Singapore was quick to get very serious about its development. Much of this success has been credited to its founding, Lee Kuan Yew. Under his leadership, Singapore established concept plans as a framework to guide the physical development of Singapore and ensure optimal use of the limited land resource to meet residential, economic and recreational needs of the population. The first concept plan was created in 1968 under the guidance of consultants from the United Nations Development Programme. A few years later, this was refined into the “Ring Plan” concept which envisioned a circle of highdensity development around the three sides of the central water catchment area. The areas were linked by a network of expressways and mass rapid transit system to serve the central business district. It was reported to be “a ring of cities” and were essentially satellite towns. Koolhaas, in his seminal essay on Singapore, notes that “the idea comes from Holland where a group of major towns including Amsterdam, Haarlem, Utrecht, Delft, The Hague, Leiden, Dordrecht, and Rotterdam forms a large circle around a central stretch of open country. This constellation is the result of historic forces rather than of deliberate planning.” This was fundamental in establishing how Singapore operates today as clusters of public housing towers are developed with all key amenities in reasonable proximity.
The Straits Times, 29 April 1964
The Straits Times, 2 February 1969
1968 - RAK Concept Plan
1971 - Ring City Concept Plan
1991 - 1st Concept Plan
1992 - Singapore Green Plan
2001 - 2nd Concept Plan
2011 - 3rd Concept Plan
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IN PRAISE OF FOOD
“I have always believed that a blighted urban landscape, a concrete jungle destroys the human spirit. We need the greenery of nature to lift our spirits.” – Mr Lee Kuan Yew, 1995
The Little Red Dot
Singapore
Garden City Vision Another key framework established by Lee Kuan Yew was his vision of a “garden city” to transform Singapore into a city with abundant lush greenery and a clean environment in order to make life more pleasant for the people.
Garden City Vision + LEE KUAN YEW
In the initial phase, the “garden city” vision was implemented in the form of an intensive tree-planting programme. In addition, the Parks and Trees Act was enacted in 1975 to mandate government agencies as well as private developers, to set aside spaces for trees and greenery in projects such as the development of housing estates, and construction of roads and carparks. By the mid-1970s, the creation of parks had become an additional focus of the “garden city” vision. The park development programme aimed to provide more recreational spaces for residents and to establish green spaces that provided ventilation or act as “green lungs” in built-up areas.
Top:
Lee Kuan Yew planted a tree to kickstart the national effort for tree planting
Below: Singapore’s National Parks Board identified six key areas to fulfilling the City in a Garden vision
From the 1990s, various efforts were made, such as park connectors established as green corridors to link parks and community partnership programmes like Community in Bloom were introduced to instill a “green consciousness” among Singaporeans. Currently, Singapore’s greening policy is guided by the “city in a garden” vision. Unveiled in 1998 as the next phase of the “garden city” vision, the new concept aimed to integrate greenery into not just the built environment, but also into the daily lives of Singaporeans.
Engaging and inspiring communities to co-create a greener Singapore
Establishing world-class gardens
Enhancing competencies of our landscape and horticulture industry
Optimising urban spaces for greenery and recreation
Enriching biodiversity in our urban environment
Rejuvenating urban parks and enliven streetscape 20 21
The Little Red Dot
IN PRAISE OF FOOD
Singapore
Land Reclamation Over the past two centuries, Singapore’s land area has expanded by almost 25%. Spatial planning and territorial expansion are critical concerns for national development. Because of its limited size, Singapore has embraced every opportunity to optimize the productivity of its land area. The definitive elements of its current southern coastline – from airport, to parkway, to port, to park; from Marina Barrage to the Sands and Gardens by the Bay – are all constructed above infilled soil. Its land area is approximately 710 km2 today, and reclamation works are ongoing, with another 50km2 to be added by 2030.
RECLAMATION OF SINGAPORE’S SOUTHERN COASTLINE 1. Changi Airport 2. East Coast Parkway 3. East Coast Park 4. Marina Bay East 5. Marina Bay South 6. Tanjong Pagar Terminal 7. Pasir Panjang Terminal 8. Jurong Island 9. Tuas / Tuas South
MAINLAND EXPANSION 1. Boat Quay & Collyer Quay 2. Telok Ayer 3. Padang (Esplanade) 4. Tanjong Pagar 5. Kallang Airfield 6. Sembawang 7. Jurong Industrial Estate 8. Kranji Industrial Estate
9. Tuas 10. East Coast Reclamation 11. Marina Bay 12. Pasir Panjang 13. Pasir Ris 14. Punggol 15. Woodlands Crossing 16. Changi Airport
OFFSHORE ISLANDS A. Pulau Brani B. St John’s & Lazarus Island C. Pulau Sudong D. Pulau Seletar E. Sentosa F. Pulau Bukom G. Pulau Sebarok H. Jurong Island
I. Pulau Semakau J. Pulau Serangoon K. Woodlands Crossing
This unique story of Singapore’s urban growth highlights the extent to which it is willing and able to execute in order to continue being a prosperous, competitive and liveable city. However, it also highlights the severity with which Singapore sees itself as not having enough land. This means that it will be extremely rational in maximising land space which most likely means devoting less land for agricultural production.
JOHOR MALAYSIA
SINGAPORE STRAIT
The extent of Singapore’s land reclamation 22 23
The Little Red Dot
IN PRAISE OF FOOD
Urban Resilience Tackling the Water Issue
Water has and will always be a precious resource in Singapore.
JOHOR
Three pipelines from Johor satisfy 40% of Singapore’s water demand at present
Rainwater from 90% of the country’s surface area will meet 20% of the demand
Treated sewage will meet 50% of the water demand
The continued rise in population – from 570,000 in 1940 to nearly a million in 1947 – forced Singapore to look across its shores to Malaysia. Although the water supply from Johor helped to relieve the water crisis in the 1950s and 60s, the government had already recognised its heavy dependence on Malaysia for water. Malaysia used this as political leverage, and forced Singapore to come up with innovative ways to expand and diversify Singapore’s water resources. The threat of political, economic and environmental instability which forced Singapore to rethink its water sources can also unsuspectedly be applied to its food supplies. Similar to how Singapore looked into itself to produce its demands for water, perhaps it can look to itself to produce and supplement its food demands.
Desalination plants will meet 30% of the water demand
Singapore’s Four Tap strategy to achieving self-reliance in water by 2060
Interestingly, in order to maximise the collection and storage of all the rain that falls on Singapore, it developed an extensive network of rivers, canals and drains. These can be used as a natural resource to supply urban farms. Additionally, Singapore collects used water in a network of underground sewers which lead to a water reclamation plant. This network provides potential to be tapped into to supply the needs of farms too.
WATER FROM LOCAL CATCHMENT 1. Tengeh Reservoir 2. Poyan Reservoir 3. Murai Reservoir 4. Sarimbun Reservoir 5. Kranji Reservoir 6. Jurong Lake 7. Pandan Reservoir 8. Upper Peirce Reservoir
9. Upper Seletar Reservoir 10. Lower Seletar Reservoir 11. Lower Peirce Reservoir 12. MacRitchie Reservoir 13. Marina Reservoir 14. Punggol Reservoir 15. Serangoon Reservoir 16. Bedok Reservoir 17. Tekong Reservoir 24 25
IN PRAISE OF FOOD
The Little Red Dot
Urban Resilience Food Security
Singapore’s capability development in farming started early. A Farm School was established in 1965 at the Sembawang Field Experimental Station to provide formal training in animal husbandry, horticulture, and freshwater fisheries to youth. With the development of larger commercial farms and the adoption of more intensive methods of production, agricultural production soared in the 1970s. In 1970, 9% of the population were engaged in agricultural activities or were indirectly dependent on farming and fishing for their livelihoods. By 1974, 50% of Singapore’s vegetables and 30% of fish was sourced locally. By 1977, intensive farming had ensured self-sufficiency in fresh pigs and poultry, which formed a major component of local diets and the production of pork, chicken, and hen eggs had reached 104%, 80% and 100% respectively. By the late 1970s, industrialisation, urbanisation and the development of water catchment areas competed for the limited land available. There was an active push to consolidate smaller farms into large-scale commercial farms. Between 1969 and 1979, farmlands shrunk by 40%. Up till the 80s, the agriculture sector was focused predominantly on food production. This changed with the development of agrotechnology parks, where a majority of farms were non-food farms. The source of Singapore’s food imports
Today, Singapore imports over 90% of the food it consumes from all over the world.
The decrease of overall farmland in Singapore between 1960 - 2015
Singapore’s growing population, its local production of food items, and its targets 26 27
IN PRAISE OF FOOD
The Little Red Dot
Urban Challenges Managing Waste
As there is no available land for landfill on the mainland of Singapore, it created an offshore island specifically for this purpose. The Semakau Landfill was opened on 1 April 1999 and remains the only landfill Singapore has.
Semakau Landfill
In 2016, Singapore generated approximately equivalent to 130 kg of food waste per capita. Of this, 14% was recycled. Food waste has increased by 48% since 2005 and is expected to continue to grow, due to population increase and greater affluence. A holistic means of achieving food resilience involves the need to manage food waste at a household and individual level. A programme organised by the National Environment Agency was the Love Your Food Recipe Contest in 2016, that encouraged the public to submit creative recipes that made use of common types of leftover food. To target the youth, the NEA launched the Love Your Food @ Schools project, which introduced a closed-loop food waste management system at 10 participating schools. This will be a key aspect to address in the development of a holistic urban farming community.
Love Your Food Recipe Contest Poster
Love Your Food @ Schools
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IN PRAISE OF FOOD
By 2030...
The Little Red Dot
Urban Challenges Ageing Population
1 in 5 residents will be aged 65 years and above... that’s over 900,000 senior citizens
and Singapore’s birth rate is decreasing!
Singapore needs to prepare for a rapidly ageing population in the next one to two decades. By 2030, the number of seniors aged 65 years and above will almost double to over 900,000. At the same time, it’s birth rate is decreasing. It is projected that there will be 880,200 babies born in 2030, compared to 980,000 babies in 2015. In general, the natural replacement rate should be 2.1 babies per woman. However, Singapore’s fertility rate stands at 1.2, far from what is required to maintain a steady population level. This is particularly important to understand when designing public housing projects. It is important to ensure that their needs are met and that they do not suffer from social isolation and loneliness. It must also be considered when considering public housing policies as over time the older housing estates tend to only be lived in by elderly folk, as the younger residents seek newer housing. Singapore’s government has stated the need for quality infrastructure and support for seniors and their families as well as strong family and community ties for seniors to enjoy their silver years. The project will explore how farming can be used as a means to ensure that the elderly can age healthily, purposefully and gracefully.
Elderly
: Citizens in working-age band of 20-64 years of age
Ratio
2000
:
8.4
2011
:
6.3
2015
:
4.8
2020
:
3.6
2030
:
2.1
2050
:
1.5
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chapter 2
Food understanding Singapore through its agriculture
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Food
IN PRAISE OF FOOD
Food in Singapore Consumption and Trade
Top 3 sources of vegetable imports
Malaysia, China, Australia
Top 3 types of vegetable imports
Eating is said to be Singapore’s national pastime, and many citizens pride themselves on their detailed knowledge of where to buy the best local dishes. The statistics show the average Singaporean’s consumption of various food items. It also indicates the amount that can be supplied by local farms and the level of self sufficiency Singapore aspires to achieve. Additionally, it is interesting to note that most of the top types of vegetable and fruit imports can be grown in a relatively efficient way locally in Singapore. The top source of its imports is Malaysia, its closest neighbour. This positions Malaysia as a sort of hinterland which provides Singapore with resources it requires as similar to the case with water in previous decades.
potato, onion, cabbage
Top 3 sources of fruit imports
Malaysia, China, USA
Top 3 types of fruit imports
Average per capita consumption in 2016
watermelon, banana, orange
The pictures below show archival records of the farming which took place in Singapore in yesteryears. It was largely focused on food items whereas it has moved to focus more on non-food farming such as the farming of ornamental fish. Perhaps the food supply chain can be cut short if food was grown hyper locally right where citizens live, on their backyard.
Archival photos from the 1960s - egg farming, cabbage farm, ducks and cage-net cultivation of fish
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Food
IN PRAISE OF FOOD
Lim Chu Kang Mandai
Nee Soon
Agricultural Infrastructure
Murai Loyang
Sungei Tengah
In the 1980s and 1990s, Singapore decided to holistically overhaul their agricultural endeavours. They developed Agrotechnology Parks to house modern and intensive commercial farms that produce high quality safe and fresh food. Into the 21st century, its agricultural landscape is vastly transformed. Innovation, technology, and automation are adopted by farmers to increase yields. These parks have a total land area of 1,465 hectares.
Location of industrial farms
18%
However, at the same time there is a reasonable number of Singaporeans who have adopted personal farming for a variety of reasons. A survey on 20,000 residents was conducted by Foodscape Collective to understand
for cooking
17%
47%
for personal interest
2.5% to save money
Where are the Farms Today?
for eating
11%
for health (physical and mental)
4.5%
for education
Survey of reasons why Singaporeans grow their own food
why they do so. The results show that most of them were motivated by personal interest, cooking and eating. Reasons such as health and wellbeing were also raised. The distribution of where the residents are located are highlighted by the small orange dots on the map below. Although the government has tried to systemically zone where the agricultural industries will take place on the island, various private initiatives have been taking place throughout the island. These are highlighted on the map below and shows the extent of their urban experimentations.
Since 2012
Since 2010
Area: each system has a footprint of 6m2 Method: Soil-based farming world’s first low carbon, hydraulic driven vertical farm.
Area: approx 8,000 m2 Method: Soil-based rooftop farming
Khoo Teck Puat Hospital
Volunteers from the community contribute to the conservation efforts of producing over 50 varieties of edible fruits and vegetables.
Sky Greens
Bollywood Veggies
Since 2013
Since 2000
Area: approx 500 m2 Method: Vertical rooftop farming
Area: total land of 10 acres Method: Soil-based farming No chemical fertilisers, pesticides, growth hormones, or genetic modification. They have hundreds of edible plants growing at any given time.
Since 2015 Area: approx 3,000 m2 Method: Permaculture, soil based farming
Open Farm Community
Promotes local farming through cuisine and believes that growing food re-connects urbanites to nature, conserves natural resources, and cultivates a sense of community.
Comcrop
The farm can produce 8-10 times more than traditional farms of the same area, it conducts farm visits for education. 36 37
IN PRAISE OF FOOD
Food
What Can be Grown
Traditional pestle and mortar to prepare local spices and salads
and the Culture of Eating
There are many varieties of herbs, vegetables and fruits that grow and thrive in the tropics. The abundance of varieties are definitely enough to sustain an average person’s diet. The table below is a sample of the types of food that can be grown in Singapore and the time taken from planting to harvest. It is also interesting to note of what Singaporeans make of the produce and to look at the culture of cooking and eating. Hawker centres are popular amongst all Singaporeans. They are places where people of all ranks of society can be seen enjoying food together. A large variety of food are sold at affordable prices. They are ideal places to start supplying with local produce.
Hawker centres around Singapore are normally housed in an open plan structure like a market place
A sampling of Singapore’s vibrant cuisine
Herbs | Average harvest time: 14 days
basil
chives
coriander
curry leaf
dill
ginger
lemongrass
pandan
parsley
peppermint
rosemary
thyme
Vegetables | Average harvest time: 14-60 days
arugula
beet
bittergourd
bok choy
cabbage
carrot
cassava
chili
courgette
cucumber
eggplants
french beans
garlic
gourd
kale
luffa
mushroom
okra
onion
pea
pigeon pea
potato
radish
snake gourd
spinach
sweet corn
sweet potato
sweet pumpkin
taro
tomato
turnip
mango
mangosteen
melon
papaya
Fruits | Average harvest time: 9-12 months
banana
dragonfruit
duku
durian
guava
jackfruit
lime
longan
papaya
pomelo
rambutan
snakefruit
soursop
starfruit
watermelon
wax apple
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Food
IN PRAISE OF FOOD
Cultivation
Alternative Types of Farming Along with the cultivation of rather traditional herbs, vegetables and fruits, there has been a lot of development in the cultivation of alternative sources of feed, fuel and food.
Algaculture
Aquaculture
Mycoculture
algae farming
seafood farming
fungi farming
- Biofuel - Livestock feed
- Produce - Fish, lobster, shrimp
- Gourmet mushrooms - Mycoproteins - Medicine - Fungitecture - Fungi-textiles
There has been research into the cultivation of algae to be used as biofuel as well as feed for livestock. They grow rapidly and do not require much resources in terms of input. It is also praised for its ability to filter and enhance the air quality. It has been used on an experimental scale as facade systems as well as installed on a highway in Canada. The cultivation of seafood has grown both in water and on land. It has become increasingly popular again to pair the growing of seafood with the growing of leafy vegetables as they can form an efficient and productive systemic loop. There has been a lot of innovation in the possible uses of mushrooms which has made it more popular to be grown on a productive scale.
Entofarming
Vermiculture
edible insect farming
worm farming
- Crickets & mealworms - Flour - Insect frass fertiliser
- Soil enhancer - Livestock feed
Similarly, the farming of insects is becoming more acceptable in more places throughout the world. They are most frequently used to produce flour and fertiliser. They are highly efficient sources of farmed protein, however still face stigma. Worms are being purposely farmed to enhance the soil used in farming.
Algaculture
Aquaculture & aquaponics
Mycoculture
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Entofarming & vermiculture
chapter 3
Housing Singapore’s history and policies on public housing
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IN PRAISE OF FOOD
Housing
Public Housing A History
Singapore’s experience with public housing is one of massive success despite its strict policies and its fixation on home ownership and dismissal of renting.
Distribution of HDB towns “The HDB is the major vehicle for Singapore’s future overhaul.” – Rem Koolhaas Singapore Songlines, 2010
void decks
A vernacular social space found in all HDB flats is the void deck
It is wholly managed by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) and its estates are colloquially referred to as HDBs. As of 2015, around 85% of the resident population live in these accommodations, and 90% own their home. They are designed to be in self-contained satellite towns with close proximity to schools, supermarkets, clinics, hawker centres and sports and recreational facilities. Today there are more than 1 million apartments across 23 towns. Each year, the government sells as-yet-unbuilt flats, predominantly to firsttime buyers. They are sold on a 99 year lease basis and sold at lower-thanmarket rate prices. Priority for these new flats are given to married couples as the government strives to combat the low national birth rate. Singles can only apply for their own flats if they are unwed by 35. Once they have applied their for their flats, they must wait for construction to be completed which takes 3 years on average. Cash used to buy HDB properties are provided in part by the Central Provident Fund (CPF) – a mandatory national-savings scheme where citizens are required to set aside 20% of their monthly salary and employers must contribute a further 17%. Quotas ensure that the mix of races in each HDB block reflects the ethnic make-up of the country as a whole to preclude the formation of racial enclaves.
Tiong Bahru Pre-War SIT Flats / 1936
Tiong Bahru Post-War SIT Flats / 1951
The Last SIT Flats, Dakota Crescent / 1958
Commonwealth Close, 16 storey flats / 1964
Butterfly Block, first specially designed flat / 1973
Four Leaf Clover, Ang Mo Kio / 1981
Potong Pasir flats “Slides in the Sky” / 1984
Pinnacle @ Duxton / 2009
Skyville @ Dawson / 2015
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Housing
Green Initiatives Community in Bloom
“I think in our community garden, the gardeners are very close to each other and there’s a strong “kampong” spirit, we are just like one big family, so I feel at home when I’m in the garden.” – Ng Jia Wei 14 year old engaged in community gardening
The Community in Bloom initiative was formally launched in May 2005 by the National Parks Board. Its main intention was to engage and inspire communities to help realize Singapore’s ‘City in a Garden’ vision by 2016. Gardeners are encouraged to set up plots where they can gather to plant and care for their plants including flowers, herbs, spices, vegetables and fruit trees. Today, there are more than 1000 Community in Bloom gardens around Singapore in public and private housing estates, schools and organisations. In total, it has been able to engage over 20,000 residents in the initiative. There’s a target to reach over 2000 community gardens by 2030. The pictures below show some examples of Community in Bloom gardens and the people involved in them. It is a healthy mix of young and old from all walks of life. It also seems that they are inspired and motivated to keep the gardens well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing as there are annual awards given for the best gardens.
“Usually people will keep to themselves, but gardening brings us together. Many of us have fruit trees, and when we have big harvest we cannot eat alone, so we share with our neighbours. Gardening is the medium that make us meet, we have something in common, regardless of age, status, race.” – Asmah bte Samat initiated a Community in Bloom at her residence
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Housing
Operations
A Hypothetical Scheme Based on the existing policies and system of how the HDB is run and operated, an alternative or extension to the policies to include urban farming were deliberated. Although the Community in Bloom initiative is supported by the NParks, there could be alternative schemes. There are several parties which could be stakeholders in the new scheme and this is explored in the diagram below. The different parties are also speculated to have different operating methods such as whether they own, operate and maintain or just form a partnership. The different schemes offer various advantages and disadvantages. Ultimately, a decision for which scheme should be used will depend on the context of the site, its residents and needs. Highlighted in red below are a mixture of schemes which will be explored for this design project.
PUBLIC
PRIVATE
{ {
Ownership
Sponsored
Free, not a sustainable model
Subsidised
Offer financial support for parties interested in operating urban farms
Incentivised
Offer financial motivation - operators can get paid/rewarded based on how much they produce
Cross-department Partnership
Expertise & input supply
AVA can offer expert support for agri-foods, training and guidance and provide network for input and production supplies
Operations & Maintenance
Maintenance & Labor
NParks can offer labor for professional maintenance and operations and provide a holistic system to connect the different sites nation-wide
Operations
Research & Funding
Universities
Ownership & Operations
Co-operatives, Community Supported Agriculture
Universities can provide funding for research projects around urban agriculture and food science, can get student volunteers/researchers for operations
Independent, grass-roots ownership from the community itself
Civil Society
Ownership & Operations Corporations
48 49
Retailers
Retailers can adopt an HDB farm and provide funding similar to contract farming
Operators
Open tender for operators to maintain and procure an HDB farm, can be funded by residents paying maintenance fees
Startups
Test new business models and can be funded by venture funds, labor force might be supplied by a gig economy model
chapter 4
Dakota Crescent an analysis of the chosen site
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Dakota Crescent
History of the Site Urban Morphology
Dakota Crescent was selected as the chosen site primarily because it was slated for demolition at the start of this thesis. It provided a unique context for an alternative development. The site was named Dakota Crescent after the Douglas DC-3 Dakota, which crashed at Kallang Airport in 1946. The Kallang Airport, opened in 1937, was closed down in 1955. The old runway was converted into a road aptly named Old Airport Road and runs parallel to Dakota Crescent today. Situated right next to the Kallang River, the estate was part of Singapore’s larger plan to develop the Kallang Estate. In its heyday, Kallang Estate was even referred to as Singapore’s equivalent of London’s Hyde Park. The estate marked the beginnings of Singapore’s public housing history. It is a physical reminder of the challenges faced by the government to elevate its citizens from slums and squatter settlements into affordable public housing. It was the last development built under the management of the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) as the housing programme was taken over by the HDB in 1960. Dakota Crescent was used to rehouse the victims of the Kampong Tiong Bahru Fire in 1961.
1954 - a year before the airport closed down
1957 - airport closed down and site remains empty
1966 - housing is built up including Dakota Crescent, the area is touted as Singapore’s Hyde Park
1975 - National Stadium built, land reclamation to the South
1984 - extensive development and more land reclamation to the West, linked by expressways
1991 - more land reclamation to the South
2000 - development to the North and West grow denser
2009 - Dakota Crescent has stood for more than 50 years
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Dakota Crescent
History of the Site Significance of Dakota Crescent
“In the rush for development, history had been almost completely erased... Singapore is turned into a test bed of the tabula rasa. ”
After its completion in 1958, the estate had 2,936 housing units and modern housing services such as electricity. Dakota Crescent housing estate is known to have numerous open spaces planned for social interactions between its residents, one of its most unique features. It was also the first estate to have one-room flats. It was a bustling neighbourhood which provided a decent standard of living for its residents. There were rubbish chutes on every floor and water/electricity pipes that ran through the entire block. This was a significant change from the poor sanitary conditions that the population used to live in.
– Rem Koolhaas, Singapore Songlines, 2010
One of the unique architectural features were “butterfly blocks” – these blocks were curved to break the monotony, maximise privacy, and had wide common corridors. Many Dakota residents forged strong friendships with one another since then. As such, it gave the aged residents a sense of belonging to the place. By 2016, the housing estate is mostly occupied by elderly residents and low-income families. On 31 December 2016, 400 households in Dakota Crescent were to be relocated, although a few stayed behind for another year. Many residents have been given one or two room residential flats at 52 Cassia Crescent, a new block located 400m away from Dakota Crescent.
17/10/1962 - Cleaning of drains by Public Works Department at Airport Road, officials having discussions with villagers
04/08/1964 - Construction work in progress at Geylang River, Dakota Crescent flats on the left. The work was done after floods at the flats.
18/08/1965 - Old Airport Road with Dakota Crescent flats on the left
04/07/1967 - Dakota Crescent flats with Geylang River in foreground
11/12/1983 - The Old Kallang Airport Hawker Center
24/05/1988 - Coffee shop at Dakota Crescent
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“As a citizen, I would not like to lose this part of my history... and I want to be the last person to leave Dakota.” – Bilyy Koh
“Everything feels familiar here, the neighbours are amiable and we greet one another. I miss the good old times, where the environment was friendlier.” – Mdm Lee Soh Meng
“Sometimes when I am stressed, I will just walk around the estate and the tranquility of this area calms me down.” – Low Shuilin
“From little to big, my kids grew up here so this house is where all my bittersweet memories are... We will leave our old memory, happy moments, our sad moments in this house.” – Fizah bte Mohd Esa
The notice of relocation letter given by HDB to the residents
Save Dakota Crescent Relocation and Public voice
On the 23 July 2014, the official notice was given by the HDB that the site was earmarked for “future residential development”. The possibility of complete demolition of the site raised concerns amongst the public. Experts said the Dakota Crescent flats are a key part of Singapore’s housing history. A researcher from the School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore suggested that at least part of the site should be conserved, and to “balance the competing needs of an urban redevelopment and heritage conservation”. She mentions that “Dakota Crescent can be a lasting visual reminder of the milestones Singapore has passed in our successful public housing journey.” Similarly, there were notable efforts by groups such as “Save Dakota Crescent” which submitted an official proposal drawn up by the public for the vision of the site. “Between Two Homes” is a website set up to record the stories of the people of Dakota Crescent. “Dakota Adventures” set up walking tours led by a group of long-time residents. Affected residents have been given priority allocation of one- or two-room rental flats at a new block, 52 Cassia Crescent, situated about 400m away from their former estate. Two-thirds of the households at Dakota Crescent have one or more elderly member who is at least 60 years old.
has lived at Dakota for more than 30 years
Mr Lai Kok Chuen / 64 years old
has lived at Dakota for more than 50 years
Mr Bilyy Koh / 61 years old
Fizah bte Mohd Esa / 33 years old
Mr Eric Ang / 46 years old
Madam Tian Ying Lee & Mr Wong Ah Fook / 62 & 53 have lived at Dakota for 21 years
Low Shuilin, mother and sister / 27, 60 and 25 years old have lived at Dakota for more than 20 years
Mr Lam Tem Peau /90 years old
Mr Jamaluddin Sidek / 69 years old
has lived at Dakota his whole life
Madam Lee Soh Meng / 81 years old has lived at Dakota for almost 60 years
has lived at Dakota for more than 40 years 56 57
has lived at Dakota for 11 years
has lived at Dakota for more than 20 years
IN PRAISE OF FOOD
Dakota Crescent
Building Use
Transportation Network
Blue & Green Infrastructure
Number of Storeys
Building Heights
Figure Ground
Base Map
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Dakota Crescent
The Site Analysis
Dakota Crescent is situated on the boundary of Kallang and Geylang planning areas in the Central Region of Singapore. Much of the development is centered around the Kallang River. Today, the National Stadium is the main landmark of the area. Amongst the locals, it is also synonymous with the Kallang hawker centre, which is just across the road from Dakota Crescent. This area of Singapore is quite old and significant. The commercial area to the North of Dakota Crescent are largely made of low-rise shop houses and budget boutique hotels. To the South-East is where the richest of Singaporeans live, in landed houses which are extremely expensive to maintain in a land scarce nation. The area is quite well connected with extensive expressways, bus networks servicing it as well as an MRT that can take you directly to the city centre proper.
Blue & Green Infrastructure
Figure Ground
Building Heights
Transportation Network
Building Use Residential - Landed Residential - HDB Residential - Private Commercial - F&B Commercial - Markets Commercial - Retail Commercial - Others Institution - Schools Institution - Religious Institution - Others Hotels Public Transport Carparks
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Dakota Crescent
Views of the Site Its Current Condition
Dakota sits quite distinctly, perhaps due to its age, or provision of open space, or because of how quiet it is now without the residents. Its blocks reach a maximum of 7 storeys, much lower compared to the modern apartments which surround it. Mature trees with large canopies provide much needed shade over the open space. The estate is also known for its iconic playground resembling a dove.
The iconic butterfly block
Overall view of the site with the MRT station on the right
7-storey slab blocks with expansive open courtyard
A symbol of the estate, the playground
Wide open space with large tree canopies providing shade
View across the other side of the river, along the park connector trail
View along the riverside
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The Site
Its Current Condition Dakota Crescent was designed to have ample open courtyards and common spaces, distinct from the HDB’s high-rise, void deck model. Stone tables are scattered around the estate – a ubiquitous marker of communal living – allowed for informal chats and interaction. Dakota exemplified how the national public housing scheme made it possible for rental flat owners from lower income groups to grow up in a comfortable home and community.
Built-up Area 27% ~ 14,500 m2
The site also had a block of shophouses, with provision/sundry shops and cafes on the ground floor, and rental flats on the first floor. There is a single access to the site from the Eastern side, which forms an inner ring road before allowing an exit to the Western side. There is also a layer of surface level car parking on the North side of the site as well as on the inner area of the Western side.
Green Area 73% ~ 40,000 m2
Most notably, the blocks form two distinct courtyards which are private enough for the residents to socialise and take ownership of. The riverside shows plenty of opportunities as it hasn’t been exploited to its full potential. It has largely been ignored.
8 blocks
2 blocks
4 blocks
1 block
Total units
7 storeys 56 units/block
7 storeys 53 units/block
3 storeys blocks 16,24 & 32 12 units block 26 - 18 units
2 storeys 9 units/block
617 residential 9 commercial
old airport road hawker centre
hawker centre
gllan Ka aL Pay r eba
Old Airport Road
s res Exp way MRT station
secondary school
oad nR atte ntb Mou waste collection centre private condominium
geyla ng riv er
goodman arts centre
Existing site plan Not to scale
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Dakota Crescent
Issues to Address Potentials of the Site
The diagram below summarises the site analysis and highlights the important context to address. In terms of climate, the major winds come from the North East and South East of the site. This should be capitalised when designing the blocks to ensure that maximum cross ventilation can take place across the site. Similarly, the arrangement of the blocks and the shadows they will cast should be considered especially when deciding the location for farming. Further context behind the Singaporean climate is summarised below. There is a major road which runs along the West side of the site. This calls for a natural barrier to filter the noise and pollution. There is also a strong mix of building uses around the site which can make the site very lively. The Geylang River also provides a lot of potential.
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Dakota Crescent
Setting the Brief Exploration of Programmes
Recalling the manifesto as highlighted in the beginning of this book, the site should be designed to thrive with a diverse use of buildings. This is explored through a study of scale in terms of small, medium, large and extra large in 3 different typologies (commercial, residential and environment) and looking at how this has been approached in Singapore. Similarly, there are different reasons and purposes for growing food in terms of the three typologies.
Collage to show possible atmospheres of the site
Commercially, growing food can be approached with more focus on research and development and marketing of value added products. For the residents, it can provide a source of physical exercise, social cohesion, community bonding and as a natural way of waste management. Environmentally, it can enhance and maintain a healthy biodiversity, pleasant aesthetics and provide informal education to children growing up. The perspectives on the left were quick collages of what I envisioned the site could look like. The top shows a mixed use and mixed scale of buildings with vegetable growing in the foreground. The perspective on the bottom shows how the existing blocks could be subtly retouched by adding structures to grow vegetables on the facade, roof and in the sparse and open courtyard.
M
L
XL
FOOD
Shophouses
SOHO
Office blocks
Shopping malls
Research
Kampong houses
Terrace houses
Mid-rise dwellings
High-rise apartments
Social wellbeing
Small-scale interventions
Landscape integration
Infrastructural intervention
Superstructures
Biodiversity
Environment
Residential
Commercial
S
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chapter 5
Design Development ideas, explorations and reasoning
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Design Development
Conceptual Ecosystem Establishing a Framework
A conceptual ecosystem was created as a base framework for the design to be crafted from. This is based on both the operations scheme highlighted previously as well as the exploration of typologies. It acts as a schematic brief. It also sets a framework to ensure that a close-loop ecosystem is created to ensure minimal waste. The key points are higlighted on the left.
PROGRAMME
ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY
/ residential blocks / offices / research centre / elderly and child care centres / farmers market / community seed library / food & retail / playground
/ solar energy / rainwater harvesting / controlled-environment agriculture / algae facades / purpose-built & integrated / small-scale aquaculture / soil-based farming / poultry / waste processing center
ARCHITECTURAL STRATEGY / varying building heights / age-friendly housing / selective conservation / street furniture
KEY FOCUS POINTS Creation of Jobs Reduction in Waste to Landfill Reduction in Carbon Food-print Space for informal education
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Design Development
Planning the Site Massing Exploration
In order to explore the massing of the site, a simple model was made at a scale of 1:2000. The model was used to freely explore forms and arrangements on the site, which was particularly interesting when re-using the existing massing geometries and blocks. The model allowed for less rigidity in thinking about the planning. A model of the existing condition
Another important factor to consider was the retention strategy. There were several different ways to negotiate which blocks should be retained and which can be redeveloped completely. This is deliberated and shown in the diagrams below. Another strategy of exploration was through the scale method as discussed in the previous chapter. Firstly, the site was roughly categorised into four distinct zones: commercial, retained residential, redeveloped residential and the riverside. Explorations in massing scale was done to see its effects on the site, especially in terms of the shadow it cast and its relationship to the context. Ultimately, it seemed that although the immediate neighboring buildings were high rise of about 27 stories, the site itself would lose its sense of place if it were to match this height. Instead, a strategy into conserving the buildings at the same height was developed further.
Experimentations on the model with various free form arrangements
Strategy 1
Retain all existing blocks and only do landscape design
PROS Heritage flats fully conserved & cost effective
-B-
-A-
-C-
S
CONS Not much intervention can be done Not optimised
Strategy 2
Retain only riverside blocks
PROS huge parcel of land for redevelopment conserves the unique butterfly block and nostalgic shophouse
-A-B-
CONS loss of courtyards and iconic playground sense of place destroyed along Old Airport Road
M
Strategy 3
Retain central courtyard blocks and shophouse
-A-
-B-
-C-
PROS at least 1 of each block type is conserved iconic playground conserved CONS creates a very rigid shape, very difficult to address either side of the central courtyard
L
Strategy 4
Retain both courtyard blocks, shophouse, riverside blocks
-A-
PROS retains sense of place creates a more open riverside area allows commercial development near the MRT
-B-C-
CONS cannot increase density of residential units
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Design Development
Planning the Site Urban Strategy
Exploring retention strategy 3, arrangement and massing of East blocks, and curvilinear West zone
From the massing explorations, further explorations were done for the various strategies. This was done in tandem with facade and structural explorations. Ultimately, it was decided that retention strategy 4 was to be developed into the final proposal. This meant that the two central courtyards would be retained and only refurbished to make it as comfortable for new occupants as possible. The West zone where the MRT station is located will be redeveloped into a commercial zone. This takes an organic curvilinear form to echo the sense of courtyard created in the residential blocks but be distinct enough as its own identity so that the public do not feel intrusive. The perspectives on the left show several explorations throughout the
Exploring the possibilities of the site if practically all the blocks were demolished
design process. It was deliberated throughout the process whether to keep the blocks, completely demolish them or retain most of them. The orientation of the blocks were also explored. The diagrams below illustrate the original master plan and an analysis of its access, vehicular access and levels of privacy throughout the site. The diagrams on the right illustrate how this would be changed in the proposed master plan.
Exploring modular construction systems and how it could be used to form new blocks or added to old blocks
MRT Station Bus Stop Footbridge Open park space Walking path
Original - Access
Proposed - Access
Original - Vehicular & Service
Proposed - Vehicular & Service
Service point Vehicular route
Public Semi-public Private Commercial Community Residential
Original - Privacy Zoning
Proposed - Privacy Zoning 76 77
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Harie is often said to be a community centered on living water. This name has been given to them due to their ingenious method of providing both themselves, and their crops, with fresh, clean water. The Kabata is used for all their daily chores, such as cleaning fresh vegetables and washing their dishes.
Design Development
Shaping the Landscape Urban Strategy
Singapore’s waterway network is quite extensive and the chosen site has the benefit of the Kallang river running by the South side of the site. Currently, there is a very hard treatment as it was concretised following floods in the 1960s. There is potential to soften the edge and reshape the landscape itself. There are two particular precedents that was taken inspiration from. One is of historical Japanese towns where water plays an integral role. Specifically the Kabata system in Harie town, and the Sensuiro system in Matsushiro. The water system was designed without complicated infrastructure or electricity, and instead relied on gravity to supply homes with a natural stream of spring water. The water is visible throughout the town and its The transformation of the site, all the concrete from the canal was reused in the river bed, cleansing biotope walls, footpaths. A one year study tested plant suitability and growth along one of the side drains (60 meters) in the park.
quality can be seen clearly. It runs directly into the residents’ kitchens where its used to clean their vegetables. Fish are kept as they feed on the food residues. The stream is also used as irrigation for vegetable patches. In Singapore itself, there is the remarkable transformation of Bishan Park completed in 2012. It naturalised a concrete canal into a meandering river teeming with life and created new spaces for the community to enjoy. The proposal suggests creating ponds which capture and store rainwater before it streams out to the river. The water can be used for irrigation purposes and for the cultivation of fish and ducks.
Shaping the landscape to capture and store rainwater which can be used in the growing of plants before it flows out to the river, the water body can be used to cultivate fish and provide a natural habitat for ducks and other flora and fauna
Decks down to the water level to let users have a more intimate connection with the water
Or
igi
na
l Si te
Retain most of the existing trees, especially the mature ones
New bridge to connect the site to the Goodman Arts Centre and the Park Connector Network Path
Pro po
se d
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Design Development
Existing
Adaptive Reuse
Subtle Touches to Change Spaces Proposed
Projected
Change to the facade
As the site has buildings that can be considered to be an important piece of architectural heritage, there needs to be a strategy to transform the buildings in a light way but in a way which adds value to the existing spaces. Lacaton & Vassal’s work display an elegance in the way it approaches rehabilitation of modest housing blocks. The project shown on the left is located in Bordeaux, France and was completed in 2016. It is a renovation of a social housing and involves extending the balcony deck to provide more space for the occupants. By adding another layer on the facade, the project also enables a makeover of the buildings image in the context. For the project, there was an opportunity to enhance the quality of space through the addition of roofs, connected walkways, and extended decks from public corridors. These subtle additions create a new landscape on the upper levels and allows for space to grow more vegetation.
Proposed extended deck from the corridor on the top floor Bridging the roofs to create new space and programme
Adding another roof allows it to be used as a new roof garden and bee farm
Changing the quality of space by extending the roof structure
p Pro
d ose
80 81
e Sit
Proposed bridge network to extend the corridors as gardens in the sky, it also provides a structure for more growing of plants so that residents do not always have to go to ground level
IN PRAISE OF FOOD
Design Development
Street Furniture
Subtle Touches to Change Spaces Pedestrianised space, street vendors
Street markets and street side hawker stalls form an important part of the local Singapore food culture. This happens during the day on main streets and at nights there are night markets on a neighborhood level throughout the city. By pedestrianising the site, a central axis is created which connects the residential courtyard blocks, the riverside development and the commercial area. Similarly, the surface parking on the North side is replaced with a wider pedestrian path. These make the site friendly for children, the elderly and all members of the public to explore the site. It also creates opportunities for informal social spaces. They can also become spaces where events such as pop-up markets can take place.
Convertible streets, night markets
eC
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r al ent
is
Ax
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Design Development
Active Sustainable Strategies Bees and Algae
In 2016, Toronto was declared Canada’s first “bee city” thanks to intiatives such as this “bee hotel”
Besides the cultivation of plants, the site can also benefit and thrive with the cultivation of bees and algae. There have been several examples of this taking place in cities, especially in Europe and North America. Although they have been done at an experimental scale, it shows a lot of promise. With the growing of diverse plants, it would be very beneficial to cultivate bees. They play an important role in the health and fruition of food, fruits and flowers. Subsequently, the residents can harvest the honey. It is also scalable and can be implemented in most urban areas, which would contribute to alleviating the decline of global bee populations.
In 2014, Snøhetta constructed these urban beehives to be placed on rooftops
Completed in 2013, the building in Hamburg has a bioreactor facade, cultivating algae
Another similar experimentation which has been taking place for several years is the cultivation of algae on the facade of buildings. It was first tested in Hamburg, Germany on a new apartment building. The Bio Intelligence Quotient house, or BIQ, aimed to transform a four-story facade into a living power plant. The algae can be used to produce biofuel, filter the air and provide shade against the sun. By adding the roof on the existing building, it creates a new space. This space can be designed to host a “bee farm” where the hives can be placed safely for both the bees and the residents. Perhaps only trained personnel can have access to such rooftops. Similarly, algae panels can be retrofitted on the blank skins of the buildings.
Depending on the needs of the community, different bees can be colonised in the estate such as stingless bees which produce a more sour honey
A new landscape of bee hives can be placed on the rooftop, they will provide essential pollenation for plants throughout the site
The panels can be fitted on and provide multiple benefits for the buildings
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Design Development
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Lot Size
2.5m 0.85m
0.5m
Germany
400 m2
Austria
120 - 650 m2
France
250 m2
Singapore
2.5 m2
Proposed
18 - 81 m2
Passive Sustainability Cultivating a Culture of Growing
Singapore’s Allotments Scheme
Residents at the NParks allotments
Park
No. of Plots
HortPark
160
Punggol Park
110
Clementi Woods Park
60
Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park
70
Bedok Town Park
60
Choa Chu Kang Park
40
Pasir Ris Park
30
Sengkang Riverside Park
50
Yishun Park
40
Ang Mo Kio Town Garden West
40
Jurong Lake Gardens West
300
Proposed
25
Allotment gardens are more popular in the West and has not really taken root in Asian cities. However, in 2017, the National Parks Board started an allotment gardens scheme for Singaporeans who want to garden but do not have access to land space. Located in parks throughout the city, the plots are 2.5 m2 and is leased for 3 years at a yearly rate of $57/year (approximately ÂŁ32). They were extremely popular as all 330 plots made available were taken within 2 days. Due to the success, National Parks Board announced that new allotment gardening plots will be introduced in 10 more parks islandwide over the next two years. By 2019, more than 1,000 allotment garden plots will be available to the community. The plots offered by NParks are small raised beds. They are miniscule compared to typical allotment gardens in Europe. The proposed allotment layout, circulation path and area are shown below. The plots on the West side will receive more morning light compared to the plots to the East near the playground. This difference can determine the appropriate locations where suitable plants can be grown.
36 m2
81 m2
36 m2
27 m2 54 m2
36 m2 36 m2 54 m2
54 m2
54 m2
36 m2
36 m2
36 m2 72 m2
54 m2
54 m2
27 m2
54 m2 36 m2
81 m2 36 m2
18 m2 27 m2
27 m2
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Pasona, Japan
Design Development
Purpose Built The Garden Pavilion
In order to allow for a well-functioning culture of growing food, certain spaces and infrastructure needs to be in place. Although spaces can be converted and retrofitted to fit certain uses, purpose built spaces may offer better quality of space. An example of how this has been done in the vision of urban agriculture is in the Pasona Headquarters building in Tokyo, Japan. The project was a refurbishment of a nine-storey office building with intentional urban farming facilities. This is in the form of professional and commercial dedicated growing spaces as well as throughout the building including in the social spaces such as meeting rooms and cafeterias and the corridors. Pasona employees are encourage to maintain and harvest the crops and are supported by a team of agricultural specialists. In the project, a pavilion is proposed to be located in the gardens. The pavilion is designed to create a multifunctional space for the residents to use. It can be a resting spot after working on the ground, or as a social space to chat with neighbours, or as a space to meditate and relax. It should be a space that the residents can feel a sense of ownership by giving space for them to grow plants in the form of a showcase.
The roof slopes inwards to collect rainwater down to a container in the pavilion which can be used on the plants or released back into the stream
Grass should be grown on the roof as it can act as a preliminary filter for the water before before it collects. and it will also cool the space below
A lightweight scaffold-like structure wraps around the pavilion and acts as the load-bearing structure for the roof above. It also acts as support for vine plants to grow and climb on, these plants act as a natural air filter
The central space can be used as a storage space to keep essential gardening equipment. The openings near the top allow for cross ventilation to ensure that humidity doesn’t build up
Some space is allocated for growing of select or special plants such as heirloom varieties, flowers and can be specially designed by the residents to give a sense of ownership
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Passive Sustainability Planning for Ecological Succession
A portion of the site will be dedicated to establishing an ecosystem according to permaculture principles. Permaculture aims to develop ecologically harmonious, efficient and productive systems. The schematic plan on the left shows an example of a permaculture home garden in the tropics. The understanding the reasoning behind placing certain zones in close proximity to each other is taken and adapted to plan the permaculture zone of the proposed design. This is shown in the schematic plan with the pavilion below. Elements of a total design for a garden
F F F
Permaculture principles
C C C
A
B
G
A C
C
C
A - wet food patch with earth bank edge,
clean water, wet crop eg taro, rice, kangkong, watercress, water chestnut, mint, bank planted to dry staple foods eg yam, sweet potato, cassava
B - banana/papaya/tomato circles, grey water / kitchen sink water
C - avenue crops of corn, beans, yam
F
B G
B
F - traditional flowers - medici-
nals, pleasant scents, ornamental food plants (cacti)
G - keyhole garden beds - all the
Ultimately, a successful permaculture-established land will see an ecological succession in the long term. It seeks to establish an ecosystem such as the diagram below where there is a symbiosis between the plants.
F B
F
â–Ą - potato boxes â—Œ - caper tree, allspice tree,
lime tree, cashew tree, pea trees (prosopis), avocado, nut trees
preferred vegetables, especially greens are here
Structure of a tropical food forest
“Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless labour; and of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single product system.” – Bill Mollison Introduction to Permaculture, 1991
Year 1 - 2
Vegetable crops & planting of fruit trees flowers & herbs
Year 3 - 5
Year 5 - 15
Fruit trees & palm trees mature whilst still growing vegetable crops
Regular harvests from fruit trees, soil health is opimum
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Year 15 and beyond
Flourishing food forest in the city
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Design Development
Original Site Plan
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Design Development
Proposed Site Plan
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Design Development
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The Masterplan The plans below illustrate the original plan and the proposed plan, in both rooftop view and ground level view. The plans show the changes made. The West part of the site is redeveloped into a commercial zone with low to mid-rise retail lots and the farmers’ market acting as an anchor. The MRT station is redesigned to act as a landmark for the new commercial site. The previously sparse open green space is accented with some hardscape to appropriate it as a public plaza under the trees.
The landscape is changed by creating small water bodies which flow down to join the river. The edge of the site where it meets the river has been retouched with decking to enable users to be closer with the water. How ever, it will still resist the risk of floods. Farming can be practiced in 3 different areas. The permaculture plots, community allotments, and the garden nursery.
The access is changed and the site restricts the access of cars. This is in line
The site is also injected with a variety of mixed use programmes. Ample informal public space is given such as the conversion of the main pedestrian path to the North, and the food street which runs as a central
with the green philosophy of the community and allows for a safe space for children and elderly to roam around. The market can still be serviced in early hours of the day via the brick pavement.
axis connecting the riverside, the central courtyards and the commercial centre. A new pedestrian bridge is proposed to connect the site with the Goodman Arts Centre across the river.
Pavement Type Shera wood
Retail & Offices
Rental flats for young couples
Garden nursery
Elderly care centre
Crushed brick
Food Hub
Rental flats for elderly
Community seed library
Polished Concrete
Farmers’ Market
Experimental co-living
Childcare centre
Community hall/storage/ packing centre
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Site Section The illustration below is a section through the proposed design. Further details can be referred to according to the annotation.
A
A
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Site Section The illustration below is a section through the proposed design. Further details can be referred to according to the annotation.
B
B
private condominium
refer to page 81 refer to pages 81, 85, 113
refer to pages 87, 111
refer to pages 79, 117
refer to page 83
refer to page 83
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Aerial View The perspective below illustrates the proposed design and its surrounding context. For perspective views, follow the annotations
The Community Allotments refer to page 111
The Duck Island refer to page 113
The Garden Nursery refer to page 107
The Commercial Zone refer to page 115
The Permaculture Plot refer to page 109
The Food Hub refer to page 117
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chapter 6
The Proposal a journey through food
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The Proposal
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Seed & Germination The journey begins at the Garden Nursery. It is found in an organic courtyard surrounded by the community seed library, composting centre and experimental co-living. The addition of the greenhouse nursery structure can stimulate this space. It is used for certain plants which require germination before being transplanted, whilst other plants can be planted on the landscape directly.
provide infrastructure to start a functioning nursery, germinate seeds and conduct research
fruits tree, flowers, herbs can be grown on the landscape
spaces with a pleasant atmosphere provide a place for informal education and knowledge sharing
7:30am sunrise 07:00am
sunset 07:15pm
The Garden Nursery 106 107
The Proposal
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Grow & Care The pavilions in the permaculture plots provide a welcome relief after working on the land. It also provides a comfortable social space for people to unwind and relax and seek refuge from the fast-paced, globalised city of Singapore. It provides a reclusive haven of a local Singapore.
a green roof keeps the space cool and filters rain water before it is collected
a space the residents can truly make their own
the structure enables the growing of a green screen of vegetation
the pavilion is raised up from the ground to allow for cross ventilation and keep away from the damp ground when it rains
10:00am sunrise 07:00am
sunset 07:15pm
Permaculture Paradise 108 109
The Proposal
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Care & Cultivate The central courtyard with the iconic playground is turned into an oasis of lush plants, abundant fruits and lively community spirit. People of all ages are able and welcome to participate in the social spaces. With more activities, more eyes will naturally be drawn onto the courtyard. This enhances the community spirit and safety of the site.
the community allotments can be used by an individual, a household or even a group of friends and be customised according to their needs and interest a transition from hard to soft materials and also demarcates the dedicated space for growing
the pathway is raised to ensure that any water seeps down and flows away to ensure that pedestrians can walk comfortably without getting dirty
1:00pm sunrise 07:00am
sunset 07:15pm
New Landscapes 110 111
The Proposal
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Care & Cultivate With the new spaces formed by the addition of the roofs, multiple new uses can be explored. One use for this is the cultivation of bees. A new urban space.
a new urban space on the roof
1:00pm sunrise 07:00am
sunset 07:15pm
New Life 112 113
The Proposal
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Harvest & Share
The farmers’ market is a core part of the community. It is where people, residents and the public alike, congregate and share the same experience. The curvilinear form of the retail lots are designed to attract commuters going to and leaving from the metro station. The market has a central atrium with a feature column where plants grow, showing the life, vitality and freshness of the produce being exchanged. The plaza also acts as a stage for cultural festivities which further enhances the liveliness of the space.
a spacious but humble space fhat frames festivities and everyday life
central atrium with natural light on green growing column fresh produce on display
4:00pm sunrise 07:00am
sunset 07:15pm
Community & Vibrancy 114 115
The Proposal
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Eat & Celebrate The food hub is a place of celebration and community. It is designed as a transition between the greenscape of the gardens to the water of the flowing river. It is a place where people can sit and relax and watch life happen around them. The inclusion of a communal kitchen also allows for gatherings and gives a chance for the community to get to know one another.
a transition from the green landscape to the water making the river lively with activities will give it a sense of ownership
6:00pm sunrise 07:00am
sunset 07:15pm
Reshaping the Edge 116 117
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The Proposal
Future Expansion
Adding Productivity to the City in a Garden Ultimately, the vision of this thesis is to establish the position of urban agriculture in a modern city such as Singapore. It sees that in a city that is as globalised as Singapore, urban agriculture can provide atmospheres of a local city which truly belongs to the residents. Vandana Shiva, the author and environmental activist, said that “growing your own food is a revolutionary act.� Our food system is at the heart of our culture and society, and if it is brought closer and made more tangible to the average person, it can have a profound impact. Through the revolutionary act of gardening, people rebuild their communities while growing their own independence and cultivating a healthy living space.
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Reflection The thesis sought to research the possibility and potential of implementing urban agriculture as a method of improving the city. An understanding of Singapore as a Global City and Local City was crucial in developing the design. Given more time, I would explore more technical details to enable the practice to be easy to establish and lower the barriers to entry. Overall, I have learned a lot throughout the process, especially in terms of approaching a design on an urban scale and being able to stay focused at a reasonable scale - not too detailed, and not too vague. Ultimately, I believe the farm, and in particular the urban farm, is a landscape platform to grow, cultivate, and nurture various outputs: Farming food Farming culture Farming society Farming ecology Farming economy Farming _________ Fill in the blank.
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Bibliography
Koolhaas, R. and Robilant, M. D. (2010) Singapore Songlines . Macerata: Quodlibet. Ludher, E. and Kumar, T. (2018) Food and the City: Overcoming Challenges for Food Security. 1st ed., Singapore: Centre for Liveable Cities (Urban Systems Studies). Mollison, B. and Holmgren, D. (1978) Permaculture. Stanley, Tasmania: Tagari. Tan, P. Y. (2018) Nature, place & people: forging connections through neighbourhood landscape design. New Jersey: World Scientific. Zimmermann, A. (2015) Planning landscape: dimensions, elements, typologies. Basel: BirkhaĚˆuser.
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